


The Reveal that wasn't

by TheDelta42



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Identity Reveal, Everyone Needs A Hug, Identity Reveal, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Identity Reveal, Marinette isn't in a good place at the start, Multi, but changed mind halfway through, originally started out as salt, pre-adrigaminette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:33:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26771470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDelta42/pseuds/TheDelta42
Summary: Marinette accidentally discovered Chat Noir's identity, but has sudden doubts about his claims of love for her
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi
Comments: 1
Kudos: 69





	The Reveal that wasn't

**_ The Reveal that wasn’t _ **

Marinette ducked behind a dumpster as Chat Noir entered the alley, she had just transformed in. Tikki quietly munched on a macaron that was in her purse.

“Alright, Plagg,” Said Chat, making Marinette’s blood go cold, “Claws in.”

A flash of green told Marinette that Chat was now in his civilian form.

“That was exhausting,” Groaned Plagg, “I better get some extra camembert for the number times you used Cataclysm.”

“Sure, whatever, Plagg.” Chat laughed, as he went to leave.

“Although, I don’t think transforming in an alley is a good idea, someone could’ve spotted you.” Said Plagg, his voice starting to grow fainter as he moved away.

“What, and the news that Chat Noir is Adrien Agreste?” Laughed Adrien, as Marinette’s blood turned to ice.

“You need to say that again, I pretty sure that a couple of people in China didn’t hear you.” Said Plagg, as he and Adrien left the alley.

Marinette sat behind the dumpster before she jumped to her feet and raced after Adrien, calling his name and telling him to wait up.

‘I’m going to tell him,’ thought Marinette, as she raced to catch up Adrien, ‘I’m going to tell him how I feel, I’m going to tell him I’m Ladybug and Chat Noir loves Ladybug and Chat Noir is Adrien and Adrien loves Ladybug and… Adrien only loves Ladybug.’

Adrien stopped and turned to face Marinette, his stomach sinking.

“Hey, Marinette,” Said Adrien, his hand finding its way to the back of his neck, “what’ up?”

“I-” Marinette stuttered, her mind now full of doubt, “I’m looking for Alya, I was wondering if you’d seen her.”

Adrien relaxed, he had been worried that Marinette now knew his identity.

“I haven’t seen her since class,” Said Adrien, “maybe she’s still at school.”

“Yeah.” Said Marinette, her mind elsewhere.

‘Adrien loves Ladybug,’ Marinette thought, ‘Chat Noir has been pushing for us to reveal ourselves to each other, but he’s never respected my boundaries and whenever I haven’t appeared for something, he’s thrown a tantrum…’

“See you tomorrow.” Said Adrien, continuing on his way back to the school.

“Yeah…, see you tomorrow…” Said Marinette, as Adrien walked away.

‘Adrien only likes the mask.’ Thought Marinette, as she walked towards the Bakery, ‘He’s never shown any interest in anyone outside of Ladybug, except for Kagami.’

Marinette stopped, before she turned around and raced towards the school. Kagami should be leaving soon, so if she’s fast she might run into her.

Kagami was putting some of her books back in her locker, when Marinette skidded to a stop behind her.

Kagami scowled, her first few interactions with Marinette had not been in a positive light and her most recent interaction had made her aware of Marinette’s more eccentric side. Especially when it involved Adrien or Luka.

“Kagami, I’m glad I found you,” Marinette huffed, her face red, “Are you free this weekend?”

Kagami’s face went from a scowl to a blanche.

“I appreciate the offer but-” Kagami managed to get out before Marinette interrupted her.

“You’re meeting Adrien at the movies, either today or at the weekend,” Said Marinette, regaining her breath, “so are you free this weekend?”

“I-I should be.” Said Kagami, completely bewildered at the apparent change in Marinette.

“Good.” Said Marinette, straightening up, “Okay, now to find Adrien and tell him to meet you.”

“Marinette,” Said Kagami, as Marinette started to walk away, “what’s changed?”

“Huh?” Said Marinette, her expression blank.

“You’ve turned Adrien down multiple times and you’ve contradicted yourself every time he asked you somewhere,” Said Kagami, her eyes narrowing, “but now, your setting me up for dates with him. So, what’s changed?”

Marinette was confused, “The only person I’ve been turning down is some guy over the internet, as far as I’m aware Adrien only sees me as a friend. Despite my wishes to be seen as something more.” Marinette muttered the last part under her breath, but Kagami still heard her.

Kagami silently watched as Marinette left. What Marinette had told her directly contradicted what Adrien had told her, from what Marinette said, Adrien was the one doing the stringing along.

Kagami didn’t know what to think, she only hoped beating some at fencing could clear her mind.

**_ TRTW _ **

Marinette bumped into someone as they walked in the door, she fell back on her rear, while the other only took a couple of steps back.

“Oh, sorry.” Said the person, making her look up. He was one of Adrien’s more recent fencing friends, Ethan, if she remembered correctly.

“It’s fine, I’m currently looking for Adrien.” Said Marinette, as Ethan helped her to her feet.

Ethan scowled, which was missed by Marinette, “I wouldn’t if I were you,” Said Ethan, “Adrien’s been talking about you and what he’s said…hasn’t been kind.”

Marinette’s heart froze.

“R-right,” Marinette stammered, “Could you please tell him that he has a date with Kagami this weekend.”

Marinette then left, leaving a satisfied Ethan and a confused fencer who had witnessed the exchange.

Ethan continued smirking until he saw Adrien chatting with another student.

‘I’m going to enjoy this.’ Ethan thought. Ethan had been watching Marinette for a while, he knew her movements, her daily routine, as many of her secrets as he could decipher. He knew about her continental sized crush of Agreste and how she had started to back off from him, all he needed was for something to happen between the two that would drive a wedge between them and Marinette would be free for the taking.

“Agreste,” Said Ethan, as he walked up to the model, carefully concealing his disgust, “One of your classmates asked me to tell you they’ve set you up on a date.”

“With who?” Adrien asked, wondering if Nino and Alya had something to do with this.

“Tsurugi, Mary was on her way to tell you, before she asked me to pass the message along.” Said Ethan, carefully choosing his words.

“There’s no Mary in my- Oh, wait a minute,” Said Adrien, “You mean Marinette.”

Ethan struggled not to scowl at the fond tone Adrien’s voice had taken. How could he not know how he apparently feels about the girl.

“Yeah, her.” Said Ethan, his eyes narrowing slightly, not noticing a small black creature watching him, “By the way, do you know if she’s free?”

Adrien’s whole demeanour suddenly went cold, “What’s it to you?”

“Well, she attractive, single and,” Said Ethan, “from what I’ve heard, quite exotic, if you know what I mean.”

A hand rested itself on Adrien’s shoulder, making him look towards the owner of it.

“Calm down.” Said another one of Adrien’s fencing mates, “I’m sure Ethan didn’t mean it like that, _right?_ ”

“No, nothing meant in that,” Shrugged Ethan, “I’ve just been keeping an eye on her for some time and was just hoping.”

“That’s up to Marinette.” Adrien grit out, before moving past Ethan, “Let’s start.”

Ethan smirked, already of thinking up ways to make Marinette hate Agreste. Sam and Kagami witnessing the altercation, both silently vowing to get to the bottom of whatever was going on.

**_ TRTW _ **

Marinette placed the last of the Adrien picture in a bag to go out to the rubbish, her walls now much tidier without the excessive number to pictures. Marinette then sat at her desk and stared at her new desktop wallpaper.

“Now what?” Marinette asked herself, her mind drawing blanks.

**_ TRTW _ **

The weekend arrived too quickly for Marinette’s liking, as she glared at the board with the class schedules on it, carefully placing Ivan and Mylene’s animal shelter event on the board.

“Marinette?” Called her mother, making the girl jump.

“Yes, Maman?” Responded Marinette, going towards her trapdoor.

“One of your friends in here to see you.” Said Sabine.

“Okay, send them up.” Replied Marinette, turning back to the board.

There was a thumping as they climbed the stairs and opened the trapdoor.

“I’m sure Nino didn’t mean to do whatever he did, Alya.” Said Marinette, before the person spoke.

“Why did I let you make me agree to that stupid date?” Came Kagami’s strained voice.

Marinette turned and saw how tense Kagami was, “I take it didn’t go well?”

“No, it didn’t,” Huffed Kagami, which Marinette thought was unlike her, “He kept thinking about that other girl and when he’s not doing that he’s thinking and talking about you and how great you are. How dense is he?!”

Marinette frowned slightly, “Adrien said _nice_ things about me?”

“Yes.” Came the short reply.

“But the other guy said Adrien says _bad_ things about me.” Said Marinette, getting Kagami to look at her.

“Brown hair and blue eyes, looks like an idiot?”

“Yeah, why?”

“That’s Ethan and he thinks you’re exotic.” Said Kagami, her arms folded, “Adrien didn’t even pay attention to the movie!”

Marinette sighed and turned away from the board, “You know what, I’m going to get some tea, I have a feeling this is going to go on for a while.”

Half an hour later, Marinette returned with a pot of tea, two cups and a plate of cookies.

“Okay, from the top, what happened?” Asked Marinette, as she set the tray down.

The two talked for little over two hours, slowly migrating towards each other, until they were practically side-by-side.

“I don’t even know how to challenge him on it, it’s like he’s being deliberately obtuse!” Exclaimed Kagami, getting a chuckle out of Marinette.

“I know that feeling.” Muttered Marinette, turning her head to look at Kagami.

However, unbeknownst to her, Kagami was doing the same thing. Both stiffened as they unintentionally kissed each other. The two separated, before moving towards each other again. Kagami’s hands went to Marinette’s hair, while Marinette’s hands wrapped around the back of Kagami’s neck. The sound of the teapot falling to the floor jerked the two from their embrace.

“Fuck!” Exclaimed Marinette, quickly running down the stairs and grabbing some kitchen paper, before running back up the stairs and covering the puddle of lukewarm tea with it. Kagami sat there in a daze, until her phone started to go off.

“I’ve got to go.” Said Kagami, as soon as she silenced her phone.

“Okay, I’ll see you…whenever.” Said Marinette, mopping up the tea as Kagami left.

After hearing the door close, Marinette sighed deeply and rested her head against the floor, “Way to go, Marinette, you try to get over your crush and you kiss the one you set him up with.”

Chat Noir tried to ignore the sting in his chest, when he saw Marinette get up. He had followed Kagami to Marinette’s after the former stormed out of the cinema and saw everything to Kagami ranting to Marinette to the two girls kiss.

Why did his chest hurt so much?

Chat was so distracted, that he almost missed a red blot flying over to Marinette. Almost.

Chat zeroes in on the blot, instantly recognising it as a Kwami.

“It’s not all bad, Marinette.” Said the Kwami, floating next to the biracial girl.

“Yeah, at least I now know that Kagami’s a good kisser.” Came Marinette’s sarcastic response, which was followed by a sigh, “Sorry, Tikki, I shouldn’t have said that.”

Tikki. Chat remembered her as Ladybug’s Kwami.

“Marinette’s Ladybug?” Said Chat, getting Marinette’s attention.

“Chat Noir?” Came her surprised tone.

Chat winced, before slowly climbing down through the skylight. Both Marinette and Tikki staring at him.

“I’m sorry.” Said Chat, looking at the floor, “I didn’t mean to find out.”

Marinette sighed, “For the love of- Adrien, sit down.”

Chat froze as soon as she called him by his name, “You-you know…”

“Since Monday.” Confirmed Marinette, holding her arm.

“W-when you said…”

“I was looking for Alya, yeah.” Said Marinette, before spotting Kagami’s jacket.

A few seconds later, there was a knock on the front door. Marinette sighed a headed down the stairs, returning a few seconds later with Kagami. Kagami stopped dead at the sight of Chat Noir.

“Guess who I found on the balcony.” Said Marinette, dryly.

“Plagg, Claws in.” blurted Chat, before transforming into Adrien.

“For the love of- Really?!” Exclaimed Marinette, her hands going to her head, “That’s the first thing you do?!”

Adrien tried to shrink in on himself.

“Could this day get any better?” Marinette asked sarcastically, “First, yours and Kagami’s date goes tits up, then I find you sitting on my balcony and now this?!”

Marinette’s phone started ringing.

Groaning, Marinette answered it, before looking over at her computer and going pale.

“A-Alya, how long has it been on?” Asked Marinette, who looked as if she was going to faint.

Neither Adrien or Kagami heard Alya’s response, only seeing Marinette’s eyes roll into the back of her head and her collapse to the floor.

**_ TRTW _ **

Not even fifteen minutes later, Alya and Nino turned up, Alya carrying smelling salts and Nino a bucket. Without a word to the other two, Nino placed the bucket on the floor and sat Marinette up, positioning both so that they weren’t too far from each other and Alya placed a peg over her nose and unscrewed the lid, before positioning the salts under Marinette’s nose.

Marinette lurched forwards and grabbed the bucket, before heaving into it.

“Why did you do that?” Whined Marinette, leaning away from the bucket.

“You fainted.” Said Alya, “After I told you that Nino and I knew you were Ladybug because you forgot to turn off your web-cam.”

“Oh.” Said Marinette, before she fainted again.

**_ TRTW _ **

Adrien shifted uncomfortably, as he sat in the café waiting for Marinette and Kagami. It had been three weeks since the unintentional reveal and the two girls entering their relationship. Marinette had collared him after patrol and told him that she and Kagami wanted to talk to him.

“I was worried you weren’t going to turn up.” Said Marinette, sliding into the neat across from Adrien, with Kagami sitting next to her.

“Any chance to get away from my room.” Quipped Adrien, looking at his partner.

“Right, so,” Said Marinette, “Kagami and I have been talking, namely about our feelings,”

“Both for each other and other external assets.” Kagami interjected, getting a dirty look from her girlfriend.

“And we still have feelings for you.” Said Marinette, “As well as each other.”

“Okaay.” Said Adrien, not sure what to say.

“We’re open to expanding our relationship with you.” Said Kagami, bluntly.

Adrien was quiet, before he realised that they wanted a response.

“I-I don’t know what to say.” Stuttered Adrien, his cheeks going pink.

“Well,” Said Marinette, reaching across and grabbing Adrien’s hand, Kagami doing the same with his other hand, “A yes would be preferable.”


End file.
